Knicks-Magic Preview

By NOEY KUPCHANPosted Nov 12 2012 3:54PM

With Carmelo Anthony leading the way, the New York Knicks are one of the highest-scoring teams in the league.

It's their commitment on the defensive end, though, that's set them apart from the pack.

The Knicks try to extend their best start in 19 seasons Tuesday night when they visit the Orlando Magic, who are hoping to avoid matching their longest losing streak from 2011-12.

The only unbeaten team in the NBA, New York (4-0) is thriving on both ends of the floor. The Knicks are averaging 104.5 points and have allowed 87.5 and 40.7 percent shooting - both tops in the league.

New York came out with another stingy effort Friday, forcing 20 turnovers in a 104-94 win over Dallas. Anthony scored a season-high 31 points for the Knicks, who held the Mavericks to 37 in the second half.

"We got up to play in that third quarter, second half, got up defensively, denied the passing lanes and we played our defense that we've been playing for the last week," said Anthony, whose career average of 27.9 points against the Magic is his highest against any opponent.

"We ain't really worried about the naysayers, we just focused on Orlando at this point. These four games are over with and we move on. We take it one game at a time, I've been saying that since training camp and I'll continue to say that."

In addition to Anthony, sixth man J.R. Smith has given New York a huge boost with a career-high 17.5 points per game. Smith has gone 11 of 16 from 3-point range.

Tyson Chandler is averaging a team-best 7.5 rebounds while Raymond Felton has recorded 6.8 assists per game.

"New York's a veteran team and if you give them more possessions and you give them possessions on catastrophic turnovers, they're going to convert them into points," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "They're a very good team. In my opinion they're one of the handful of teams that has a chance to come out of the East."

The Knicks have taken three of four from the Magic. They won two of three meetings last season, with the victories coming by an average of 19.0 points.

Orlando (2-4) has averaged 77.5 points during a four-game skid. Two nights after falling 107-68 to Brooklyn in the opener of a home-and-home set, Orlando lost 82-74 on Sunday.

Glen Davis and Arron Afflalo each had 19 points for the Magic, who were outscored 35-17 in the first quarter.

"The shots that we had tonight were good shots when you look on it. It's just the matter at the beginning of the game having that focus for 48 minutes, not just three quarters or one quarter or one half," said coach Jacque Vaughn, whose team is averaging a league-low 87.8 points.

"Soon as that ball is thrown up at the beginning of the game, that focus needs to be there."

The Magic, who continue to play without former Knick Al Harrington and Hedo Turkoglu, could also be without point guard Jameer Nelson for a sixth consecutive game.

"We all have to stick together, win or lose, when it's good and bad," Nelson said. "Every team goes through losing streaks and goes through situations when you hit adversity in the course of a season - we're hitting it right now. (We) got some guys out (but) we don't make excuses."

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

Knicks hold off Magic 99-89 to improve to 5-0

By KYLE HIGHTOWERPosted Nov 13 2012 11:45PM

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) In their first four games, the New York Knicks surprised many by consistently performing above preseason expectations and jumping out to an unbeaten start.

Another night and another victory later, the Knicks' breakout beginning doesn't seem to have an end in sight.

Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points, J. R. Smith and Raymond Felton each added 21, and the New York Knicks held off the Orlando Magic 99-89 Tuesday night to improve to 5-0.

The victory extended New York's NBA-best start. The Knicks have won their first five games for the first time since opening the 1993-94 season 7-0 on their way to the NBA finals. The Knicks remain the league's only unbeaten team.

"Defense, we buckled down," Anthony said. "We kind of slowed them down, kept them off the glass rebounding. Once we had a chance to rebound the basketball, get out and make some shots, we didn't turn back from there."

J.J. Redick scored 18 points and Arron Afflalo added 13 for the Magic, who were stunted by 20 turnovers that led to 24 New York points. Orlando dropped its fifth consecutive game and continues to struggle without starters Jameer Nelson and Hedo Turkoglu.

"You have to want to win more, simple as that," Afflalo said. "There's not one man on this team that's going to do it, (we) pretty much have to want it more."

New York coach Mike Woodson has made no secret of the fact that for the Knicks to continue their recent output long-term, keeping his older team well-rested will be a necessity.

A three-day rest following their dominating win over Dallas on Friday was perfect timing for a Knicks squad that played its first three games in just four nights.

It showed against and Orlando team whose younger players were fearless attacking New York early on.

But so much youth on the floor also gave way to some careless mistakes late in the second half. Orlando pulled to 82-80 before the Knicks went on a 13-4 spurt to take a 95-84 lead with 2:36 to play and put the game away.

New York led by just a point at the break, Knicks coach Mike Woodson said that kind of effort wasn't there early.

"We weren't playing hard enough," Woodson said. "You can't just roll the ball out and think because their record indicates that they may not be good or they're struggling as a team - any team can beat you in this league ... We got a few stops, and scored a bucket and we were able to secure the win. But it was a tough victory tonight."

The Knicks will have another break from game action Wednesday before playing at San Antonio Thursday night.

Despite not scoring more than 75 points in none of their previous three losses, the Magic kept pace with the Knicks - who came in as one of the league's top scoring teams.

The Magic's younger players were right in the middle of the action, with rookies Maurice Harkless and Andrew Nicholson knocking down several big shots and making key defensive plays in the third quarter as the Knicks inched back in front and took a one-point lead into the final period.

The Knicks traded the lead with the Magic at the start of the fourth, with Orlando continually able to slip inside the paint.

But along with Anthony's big night, the Knicks were also able to sustain the Magic's efforts as Smith continued his hot streak from the 3-point line, connecting on both of his attempts. He is 13 of 18 overall for the season from behind the arc.

Even with the loss, Magic coach Jacque Vaughn said there still some positives for a team that piecing together lineups at the moment.

"We can't afford to make mistakes, but for me at the end of this game I was pretty proud of our guys and their effort tonight," Vaughn said. "That's a good ball club on both ends of the floor and we made them earn a win tonight."

Trailing 35-25 midway through the second quarter, the Magic used a 16-4 run to move ahead 41-39. Orlando carried that momentum into as 53-49 halftime lead.

In his fourth game of the season since returning to action from offseason sports hernia surgery, Harkless provided a lift off the bench with 10 points in the half.

It helped offset another big scoring half by Anthony, who topped the Knicks with 16 first-half points.

The Magic also outrebounded the Knicks 25-16 in the opening 24 minutes, while getting 34 points in the paint against a larger Knicks front court.

Orlando maintained its edge on the boards but didn't get nearly as many second-chance opportunities in the second half.

Smith said the Knicks are enjoying where they're at right now.

"It's great. It's a great feeling," he said. "We want to keep it going. So we can't get too lackadaisical like we did in that first half."

Notes: Nelson missed his sixth straight game with a strained right hamstring and groin. ...The game was stopped for about 10 minutes between the first and second quarter after Jamie Woode, a former college cheerleader and Magic Stunt Team member, fell during a routine and was wheeled off the floor on a stretcher. She was transferred to a nearby hospital where she was breathing on her own and moving her extremities, according to paramedics who attended to her.

Notebook: Knicks 99, Magic 89

THE FACTS:Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points, J.R. Smith came off the bench for 21 and the New York Knicks pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 99-89 victory over the Orlando Magic.

The Knicks held the Magic to 13 points in the final period to run their record to 5-0 for only the third time in the franchise's 66 seasons.

J.J. Redick led Orlando with 18 points, but after taking a one-point lead into the fourth quarter, the Magic shot 5-for-16 with seven turnovers in losing their fifth straight.

QUOTABLE: "We buckled down on our defense and slowed them down. We kept them off the glass, and once we had a chance to rebound the basketball, we got out."
-- Carmelo Anthony.

THE STAT: The Knicks' 20-9 advantage in turnovers is consistent with what they have done during their fast start. Through five games the Knicks have committed 54 turnovers while forcing 92.

QUOTABLE II: "This is the fifth straight game we haven't allowed over 40 points in the second half. That just tells me our defense is right where it needs to be."
-- Knicks coach Mike Woodson.

TURNING POINT: Orlando led, 80-79, when Jason Kidd nailed a 3-pointer with 8:44 remaining. Kidd followed with a nine-foot runner for his only other basket of the game, and the Knicks pulled away.

HOT: J.R. Smith shot 9-for-14 overall, including 5-for-5 with a 3-pointer in a 12-point third quarter.

NOT: The Magic's Arron Afflalo shot 4-for-14 with seven turnovers, six of them in the second half.

GOOD MOVE: New York used excellent ball movement to set up Raymond Felton, Smith, Steve Novak and Pablo Prigioni for 3-pointers late in the first quarter and early in the second, building a 10-point lead.

BAD MOVE: After a big first half (10 points, six rebounds), Magic rookie Maurice Harkless played only seven minutes in the second half.

QUOTABLE III: "We've got to finish games. We can't use being young as an excuse. We've got to learn. We've got to get it now or we're going to look up and we'll be 2-10. I'm not used to that. I've never been on a 2-10 team."
-- Magic forward Glen Davis.

IN THE ARENA: The game was held up for more than 10 minutes after the first quarter when Jamie Woode, a member of the Magic Stunt Team, fell on her head. She was taken from the arena on a stretcher and taken to to a local hospital, where she was reported breathing on her own and moving her extremities.

NOTABLE: The Knicks made it to the NBA Finals in 1969-70 and 1993-94, the only other seasons in which they started 5-0. ... After scoring 68 and 74 points in their two preceding games, the Magic had 53 at halftime. ... Magic point guard Jameer Nelson missed his sixth game with hamstring and groin issues. He will probably play Friday night. ... Orlando's Redick missed his fourth free throw of the season. He did not miss his fourth free throw last season until Dec. 23.